27 April 2016 - With 13 days left in the overseas voting period, more than 2,500 Filipinos have cast their ballots in Milan and Northern Italy.

The Philippine Consulate General in Milan has been conducting overseas voting in the Consulate’s offices since April 09. A mixed mode of voting is being applied in Italy; voters can either vote personally at the Consulate General or opt to receive their ballots by mail, which is then filled up and mailed back or submitted personally to the Consulate General.

In addition, the Consulate General has also been conducting field voting in cities all over Northern Italy, as well as bringing the ballot to registered Filipino voters, which allows overseas Filipino voters outside of Milan the opportunity to vote in their city of residence.

So far, the Consulate General has conducted seven field votings in the following cities: Turin in Piemonte; Rimini in Emilia Romagna; Padua, Vicenza and Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto region; and in Bergamo and Brescia in Lombardy. The Consulate General will be conducting field voting in four more cities over the next few days: Genoa, Venezia, Mestre and Modena.

“There is a considerable increase in voter turnout for this year’s elections all over the world. In Milan, a steady stream of Filipino voters come to the Consulate General on a daily basis. More come on weekends. For Filipinos living outside of Milan, they are truly taking advantage of the field voting being conducted by the Consulate. Interest in this year’s national elections is proving to be high,” Consul General Marichu Mauro said.

Consul General Mauro explained further that the conduct of field voting is just part of the Consulate General’s commitment to be closer to the Filipino community; in this case, to bring the opportunity to vote to as many Filipinos as possible in Northern Italy. END